Chapter 841
"The Boat" is a small production crew of only fifty-odd people.
Lu Yanhe hasn't filmed a movie on such a small scale in a long time.
This movie, for most of the scenes, doesn't need any extras or anything like that; it only has a few actors.
Previously, the art team had specifically found a sparsely populated mountain area in a small town in Jiangnan and built a courtyard and house for the filming.
After Luo Yuzhong was confirmed to direct, he took his team to the location scouting site in advance and made many adjustments.
By the time Lu Yanhe joined the crew, everything was basically ready.
Lu Yanhe reviewed the filming plan and the location, offering almost no suggestions.
They are already very mature.
Although they hadn't read the script before filming, they had met many times online and offline, and had discussed their understanding of the script and characters countless times.
To be honest, this was Lu Yanhe's first time acting with Yu Mengling.
This actress, renowned in the industry, possesses a unique charisma that no one can replicate. Despite being a film queen, she doesn't project an air of superiority. Every time they meet, her refined, scholarly demeanor leaves a deep impression on Lu Yanhe. This kind of气质 (qi zhi, a kind of refined elegance or aura) is extremely precious for an actor. When it comes to certain roles, she is often the first actress that comes to mind when people think of the most suitable actress.
Acting, regardless of what others say, is ultimately an art form. While the actor, as the subject of the performance, can be described as having "a thousand faces," this often elevates their "instrumental" aspect over their "artistic" one. It is their irreplaceable uniqueness that determines an actor's stature.
For example, Tony Leung Ka-fai, who plays every role perfectly, versus Tony Leung Chiu-wai, who plays every role perfectly.
Therefore, Lu Yanhe really wanted to act with Yu Mengling.
If Chen Bige is an actress who exudes the composure and confidence of Gong Li, then Yu Mengling is an actress like Tang Wei and Zhou Xun, whose unique characteristics far outweigh her acting skills.
Many people compare them, but true appreciators accept and like them all.
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They lived in a county town about an hour's drive from the filming location.
It would be somewhat unsafe for such a large group of celebrities to all stay in a county town, so the production team not only booked an entire hotel but also hired a security team to prevent them from being ambushed.
Lu Yanhe himself was even more so.
For reasons that cannot be discussed, Chen Ziyan always considered the worst-case scenario when assessing Lu Yanhe's safety.
And they filmed in this remote, rural environment far from the city.
Chen Ziyan insisted on arranging a two-shift security team for Lu Yanhe, specifically to take care of his situation.
Luo Yuzhong was a little stunned by the scene and whispered to Lu Yanhe, "Isn't this a bit too exaggerated?"
Lu Yanhe could only resort to the excuse that Chen Ziyan had prepared from the beginning, saying, "We recently received a threatening letter. We had no choice but to take precautions."
When the words "threatening letter" were brought up, not only Luo Yuzhong understood, but everyone else in the crew also understood, and they all started to pay attention to Lu Yanhe's surroundings.
It's not unusual for celebrities to encounter a few malicious fans.
Lu Yanhe was attacked at the airport before—although it was abroad.
Lu Yanhe didn't expect everyone to accept this explanation so quickly.
However, the production team of "The Boat" was indeed very reliable. Though small, it was fully equipped, with all departments staffed and personnel readily available. They even had dedicated staff to record the various suggestions from the main creators, which were then discussed together at set times.
This sounds like a very simple thing, but most film crews are unable to do it due to chaotic management.
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This county town, called Wangxian, is a county town with a long history.
It can even be traced back to the Han Dynasty.
Unfortunately, despite its long history, the county is now somewhat desolate due to its geographical location and economic backwardness, with many young people leaving and never returning.
When he had nothing to do, Lu Yanhe invited Yu Mengling to stroll around the county town.
“Professor Wen is in the United States. He has several events that were already scheduled there and he has to attend. He won’t be able to come over until he finishes those.” Lu Yanhe explained, “So, our movie can’t be filmed in the same order, which is a real shame.”
Yu Mengling shook his head and said, "It's already very kind of you, Teacher Wen, to agree to film this. I know you're working hard to get 'Windbreaker' into the North American awards season, and you're still supporting this film at this time."
“After all, it’s such a good script. If we don’t film it, we’ll regret it later.” Lu Yanhe said with a smile. “It’s impossible not to film it. Besides, as I said, you don’t know, but this story has a very different meaning for me.”
Yu Mengling nodded.
The two of them were walking down the street. Some people in the county saw them from a distance. Because they were surrounded by bodyguards, they didn't get close. They just took pictures with their phones from afar, and some of them were so excited that they shouted a few times.
Lu Yanhe and the others didn't mind.
In fact, this was the reason why Lu Yanhe summoned Yu Mengling.
“Once you show up a few times, their novelty wears off, and they won’t take us seriously anymore,” Lu Yanhe said. “The more you hide it, the more people will want to climb over the wall to see you.”
Lu Yanhe has extensive filming experience in this small county town with a small population.
Especially Jiangzhi.
When Lu Yanhe thought of Jiang Zhi, he also thought of the couple He Yunlan and Liu Yiyi.
He took a picture of Wangxian and sent it to He Yunlan: "Brother Yunlan, I came to a small town in Jiangnan called Wangxian to film a movie. Suddenly I thought of Jiangzhi. It's been a long time since I've been here. I miss you all."
Five minutes later, He Yunlan replied with a photo of the boy.
Lu Yanhe didn't recognize him at first, but after careful examination, he finally recognized Xiao Hu's shadow on him.
Lu Yanhe replied with surprise: "Little Tiger is already this big?"
He Yunlan: Yes, he just said he wanted us to take a picture of him for you, saying you must have forgotten him and wouldn't recognize him. I didn't expect you to recognize him. I lost a hundred yuan to him and I'm heartbroken now.
Lu Yanhe laughed.
He said: "Serves him right. He looks down on me and gambles at such a young age. It breaks his heart."
He Yunlan sent several smiley faces.
He then asked: "After filming, come to Jiangzhi if you have time. Your sister-in-law brewed another batch of wine last year, and it's ready to be opened."
Lu Yanhe: Yeah, I'll go over when I have a little more free time.
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The night before filming began for "The Boat," Lu Yanhe prepared to go to sleep as usual, but found himself unable to fall asleep for a long time.
Outside the window, there were sporadic barks of dogs.
The barking was distant and clear, yet it seemed even more distant because of its clarity.
Lu Yanhe tossed and turned in bed.
He recalled his life before he transmigrated, a memory he hadn't had in a long time.
He didn't even dare to use the word "life" to refer to that period of his life. Compared to everything he had experienced over the years, his life before transmigrating was ordinary, mundane, and most of the scenes were repetitive.
School, home. Day after day. When he first came into this world, it was a real, etched world, deeply imprinted on his life. Yet, in the blink of an eye, almost ten years have passed since he came into this world.
From eighteen to twenty-seven years old.
This life is just as real, and because it was lived alone, from nothing to something, it feels all the more real.
Gradually, that period felt like a distant memory.
No, or rather, the word "恍如" should be removed.
He suddenly remembered this incident, recalling his first year in this world, when he referred to the original owner of this body—yes, back then, he still called him the original owner. While he sympathized with what happened to Lu Yanhe, he mostly felt a sense of escapism, a "turn a blind eye" and "it's none of my business" mentality.
Enemy?
No, he clearly remembered that at that time, he never thought of revenge.
He was just afraid of being "suffering" again.
But at some point, he began to regard the "original body" as himself, internalized the "hatred" in his heart, and turned his anger into blood, plunging himself into Lu Yanhe's flesh and blood.
At first, he was playing Lu Yanhe, and then he became Lu Yanhe.
Now, he is playing Lu Yanhe again in a film script—a character unrelated to Lu Yanhe, but whose relationship with his father subtly mirrors the relationship between Lu Yanhe and Chen Pinhe.
They are not even 10 percent similar.
However, just like two circles, even if they overlap by only one percent, they still intersect.
Lu Yanhe gradually realized why he couldn't sleep.
Because he was nervous.
When you have no acting experience, playing yourself is a great convenience, or even a huge advantage.
But after gaining rich acting experience and skills, when you encounter a role that you play naturally, it forces you to "return to simplicity" and "return to your true self".
The older a person gets, the more afraid they are of touching things deep in their heart.
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"The Seventeen Floors: Reboot has performed very well, and its ratings have remained in first place so far."
Zhang Yuezhen said to Chen Pinhe.
"Moreover, its performance on Maxine is also outstanding, consistently ranking in the top eight on both the global daily and weekly charts."
Chen Pinhe said, "Isn't 'Grasshopper' the hottest TV series right now?"
“The subject matter is different. In terms of data, we have always performed better than ‘Grass on the Grass’. It’s just that they have a lot of underhanded tricks and crooked methods.” Zhang Yuezhen said with a look of disdain, “One minute they’re adapting a comic and it’s entering the top three of the global reading list on a comic platform. The next minute they’re breaking some record for the sales of their co-branded T-shirts. What does that have to do with this drama?”
Chen Pinhe: "Have you watched the TV series 'Grasshopper'?"
“After watching it a few times, I realized that despite spending so much money, it turned out to be just so-so. Li Zhibai’s popularity can’t compare to yours,” Zhang Yuezhen said. “The ratings for ‘Seventeen Floors: Reboot’ have already broken 2, while their ratings have been stagnant, only reaching 1.2 so far.”
Chen Pinhe said, "Well, but there seems to be more discussion about 'Grass on the Grass' on the Internet than about 'Seventeen Floors: Reboot'. Moreover, apart from Li Zhibai, all the actors in that drama were unknown, but they all became famous because of this drama."
“With such a large-scale promotional campaign, even a piece of wood can become famous,” Zhang Yuezhen said. “The data for ‘Seventeen Floors: Reboot’ is very good. Maxine is already consulting with Beijing TV about a second season. They really hope that this series can be developed into a trilogy.”
Chen Pinhe: "Should I continue acting?"
“Of course, if you don’t continue acting, what’s the point of calling it a trilogy?” Zhang Yuezhen said. “Honey, don’t be fooled by how popular ‘Grasshopper’ is. They know perfectly well which shows are popular and which are just hype. ‘Grasshopper’ hasn’t even made it into the top ten of HP’s global charts, or even the daily charts. So how can you compare them? There’s no comparison at all. Beijing TV is about to announce the start of production on the second season of ‘Seventeen Floors: Reboot.’ Then, we’ll naturally know which show will do better.”
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“Yes, TVN in South Korea wants to buy the rights to ‘Grass on the Grass’ and remake it into a Korean drama.” Chen Yin said to Lin Suyang on the phone, “However, they don’t want to remake it exactly as it is. The love story of Li Zhibai’s parents in ‘Grass on the Grass’ has a great impact in South Korea. They want to create a Korean drama with Li Zhibai’s parents as the main characters.”
"This isn't really a remake; they're trying to make a spin-off series," Lin Suyang said.
“Yes,” Chen Yin nodded. “You’re not wrong.”
“Although we hold the copyright to ‘Grass on the Grass,’ we may need to discuss this matter,” Lin Suyang said. “If we make a spin-off series, I don’t know if it will affect Liu Manbo’s future plans. Liu Manbo is also working on a spin-off series. Yuehu TV has extended an invitation to Liu Manbo to make a second season of ‘Grass on the Grass.’”
Chen Yin: "Okay, Jin Yanshu should be coming to China next week, probably to discuss this matter. Whatever your final plan is, you should get to know her first. Maybe there will be a lot of cooperation in the future."
"Okay." Lin Suyang nodded.
Chen Yin added, "On HP, the broadcast data for 'Grass on the Grass' is also quite good, but it is weaker compared to 'The Seventeenth Floor: Reboot.' 'The Seventeenth Floor: Reboot' still has much more attention overseas thanks to its previous fans."
"This was entirely expected."
"Fortunately, 'Grasshopper' performed quite well in Asia, with over 4 million viewers on HP," Chen Yin said. "This time, the cross-broadcast of 'Grasshopper' involved many aspects. I suggest that if we really make a spin-off series later, we can bring in HP's investment."
"Grasshopper" performed rather poorly on Harry Potter. Would they be interested in a spin-off series?
“It depends on who you’re comparing it to,” Chen Yin said. “As a licensed series, ‘Grasshopper’ has over 4 million viewers in Asia. Even if it didn’t become a global hit, it’s still one of HP’s more successful works in Asia in recent years. They need to compete with Maxine in Asia, but in the Korean drama market, because Jong Bon-seok is of Korean descent, Maxine has poached all the top projects. HP desperately needs Chinese-language dramas. ‘Grasshopper’ has such good reviews and hasn’t made them lose money, so they’re definitely interested in continuing the collaboration.”
Lin Suyang suddenly realized.
“Our ‘2 Broke Girls’ has been getting better and better with each season,” Chen Yin said. “Friends wasn’t popular from the first season either. Compared to a limited series, any platform prefers a series because each new series will boost the data of the old series, greatly reducing the risk. As long as one of them becomes a hit, the value of the entire series will increase.”
Lin Suyang: "OK, this collaboration with you guys has really been an eye-opener. I never knew that film and television dramas could be done in this way. Compared to Linghe, other film and television companies in China seem to be stuck in the previous stage."
"They just don't have the corresponding resources," Chen Yin said. "In fact, the copyright derivative collaboration of 'Grass on the Flying Grass' was well done this time, also because the lead actor is Li Zhibai. He has high commercial value in the eyes of the brands, and everyone is willing to pay for him in advance. If it were someone else, it might not be the case. Zhibai's commercial value can be ranked in the top 3 in China."
Lin Suyang: "But only you guys really came through."
"Just let them follow suit from now on."
"How could I dare?" Lin Suyang said. "The higher the commercial value, the more afraid that others will take advantage of us and leave. If it weren't for you guys making this collaboration T-shirt, I would 99% not agree to such a cooperation. Who knows what the quality is like? Are you just trying to fleece us? You sell it for 129 yuan a piece, while others can sell it for 699 yuan. Moreover, you can find top-tier clothing brands to cooperate with. Others might just be a makeshift operation that only wants to take advantage of Zhibai."
“This requires you to carefully oversee the process. But no matter what, Zhibai is so valuable that as long as it is managed properly, it can be used to exchange for some resources that are more beneficial to him,” Chen Yin said. “Linghe has been doing copyright derivatives for so long. When we talked to Caoshangfei, it was the easiest to negotiate with. All the brands opened their doors to him directly.”
Lin Suyang: "He is truly gifted. He simply does what he wants. In the eyes of his fans, he is charismatic and genuine. In the eyes of brands, he is relaxed, open-minded, and sophisticated. He is truly an enviable person."
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I recommend the classic entertainment novel, "I Became the Leading Lady of a Scandal Overnight."
(End of this chapter)
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